There was a time when I would regularly come up against Izzet Blitz decks but we hardly we it being played.

Here is a sample list from a few years ago

• 4             Delver of Secrets/Insectile Aberration
• 4             Kiln Fiend
• 4             Nivix Cyclops
• 3             Gitaxian Probe

• 4             Ponder
• 4             Preordain
• 2             Apostle’s Blessing
• 1             Brainstorm
• 2             Daze
• 2             Gush
• 3             Lightning Bolt
• 3             Mutagenic Growth
• 4             Temur Battle Rage
• 1             Vapor Snag
• 2             Dispel

• 3             Evolving Wilds
• 9             Island
• 5             Mountain

Sideboard

• 1             Lightning Bolt
• 1             Vapor Snag
• 2             Electrickery
• 1             Flaring Pain
• 3             Hydroblast
• 1             Outwit
• 2             Pyroblast
• 1             Relic of Progenitus
• 2             Dispel
• 1             Gorilla Shaman

This was a challenge winning deck in July 2018 for Amoras27 but by the spring of 2019 the deck was dealt the deadly blow of bans to Gush, Gitaxian Probe and Daze. The format has subsequently changed and Izzet decks have become more controlling

Izzet Skred

Izzet Faeries

Both are fine decks but this deck was an aggressive combo deck that many people found to be fun.

More recently we have seen lists similar to this also by Amoras27 but the deck is weaker than before in the current environment and has found itself in more leagues than challenges online.

• 4             Kiln Fiend
• 4             Nivix Cyclops
• 4             Delver of Secrets

• 1             Spell Pierce
• 1             Force Spike
• 2             Sapphire Charm
• 2             Peek
• 2             Apostle’s Blessing
• 2             Dispel
• 4             Mutagenic Growth
• 4             Brainstorm
• 4             Temur Battle Rage
• 4             Ponder
• 4             Preordain

• 4             Terramorphic Expanse
• 5             Mountain
• 9             Island

Sideboard

• 1             Spell Pierce
• 1             Gut Shot
• 2             Forbidden Friendship
• 2             Flaring Pain
• 2             Dispel
• 2             Pyroblast
• 2             Negate
• 3             Hydroblast

My mission is to look at the choices available to us in 2021 and see where we could tweak the deck to return it to former glories.

Our Choices

I want our creatures to make an impact and in a world of Flicker Tron and cascading ramp/land destruction we need to be quick and deadly.

Creatures

Elusive Spellfist is a card that sees little play but has previously been the backbone in Standard Izzet decks.

Mage Ring Bully is a dangerous card as it has to attack but does have prowess so can do a chunk of damage, especially if it cannot actually be blocked.

Augur of Bolas is a great card and would certainly help the deck in acquiring a pump spell but it could also slow the deck down.

Prismari Pledgemage also looks like it could be a budget choice if you don’t own the older cards.

Azure Fleet Admiral and Crimson Fleet Commodore need to be considered as the Monarch covers all five colours now and you need a way to interact with being the Monarch, becoming the Monarch yourself is one of those options.

Dodge Spells

Distortion Strike is a fun spell and by having rebound you get to hopefully use again next turn; it also offers its own minor pump of +1/0.

Artful Dodge is a great card as making creatures unblockable and with having Flashback gives a second bite of the cherry.

Slip Through Space is a nice card as not only does it make the target creature unblockable it replaces itself by drawing a card.

All three options are solid but balancing which ones to use as the fun element. This reminds me of the choice between Preordain, Ponder and Brainstorm as each has their own strengths and usefulness depending on the game’s progression.

Useful Spells

Temur Battle Rage is a main stay in the deck and the enabling the Ferocious aspect to add trample to double strike needs to be considered, indeed building around this is paramount.

Crash Through cantrips and gives trample, this has seen play in other older formats so should not be discounted.

Vapor Snag is a really cheap spell and also adds a point of damage so would be my choice of bounce spell. Don’t forget with trample removing blockers becomes a blow out for the opponent.

Do we need to protect our guys, sure we could counter the removal but sometimes enhancing our guys has better synergy, this makes Dive Down an option but I would prefer Apostle’s Blessing to preserve our mana.

New Deck List

This is where I have landed

• 4             Kiln Fiend
• 4             Nivix Cyclops
• 4             Delver of Secrets

I still have a feeling that Elusive Spellfist would be nice and if we need extra creatures Prismari Pledgemage is worth a second look.

• 3             Apostle’s Blessing
• 2             Crash Through
• 4             Distortion Strike
• 1             Artful Dodge
• 4             Mutagenic Growth
• 4             Temur Battle Rage
• 3             Brute Force

I have added 3 brute force to increase the pump potential and with Fiery Cannonade being in the format it serves as a potential defensive option if needed.

• 3             Brainstorm
• 3             Ponder
• 3             Preordain

The low land count has got me trying 3 of each to help fix a Delver flip.

I do think Behold the Multiverse has potential here to Foretell and allow us to cast more spells to combo off.

• 4             Terramorphic Expanse
• 5             Mountain
• 9             Island

I did consider making the lands all Snow so we could put Skred in the sideboard, it may be worth it just to bluff we could have a Skred.

Sideboard

• 2             Smash to Smithereens
• 2             Gut Shot
• 2             Forbidden Friendship
• 2             Flaring Pain
• 2             Pyroblast
• 2             Negate
• 3             Hydroblast

The sideboard is pretty much great cards but may switch a few cards with more play.

Conclusion

I have enjoyed my review of this deck; it may well not be the first deck I would pull out to play but it is nice to understand a deck when you have the possibility of facing it. Whilst it is not an online favourite it still appears at many a LGS where pauper players pick up their favourite deck.